Recreation room and method for controlling the atmosphere in the room

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a method of adjusting a room air in a first room wherein the room air is supplemented continuously or at recurring intervals of time by nitrogen or a nitrogen-bearing, carbon dioxide-poor gas mixture in such a way that the proportion of oxygen in the room air is less than 20.9% by volume and the proportion of carbon dioxide of the room air is less than 1% by volume, wherein at the same time at least a slight overpressure in relation to an outside atmosphere surrounding the room is set in the room.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention concerns a method of adjusting a room atmosphere in arecreation room in which the room air is supplemented continuously or atrecurring intervals of time by nitrogen or a nitrogen-bearing, carbondioxide-poor gas mixture, in such a way that the proportion of oxygen inthe room air is less than 20.9%. The invention further concerns arecreation room for human beings or animals, in particular a sporttraining room which is filled with room air which has a lower oxygenpartial pressure than an outside atmosphere surrounding the recreationroom. Finally the invention concerns a room air installation for such arecreation room.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the present case the term recreation room is used to denote a room inwhich human beings or animals can stay. In particular the termrecreation room is also used to mean a sport training room.

Sport training rooms whose room air involves an oxygen partial pressurewhich is reduced in comparison with an outside atmosphere surroundingthe sport training room are basically known. Also known are methods foradjusting such a reduced oxygen partial pressure in the recreation room.

In the simplest case the total air pressure in the recreation room isreduced in relation to the outside atmosphere. In that way, the pressureconditions set in the recreation room are similar to those which alsoprevail at greater altitudes. In order to reduce the overall airpressure in the recreation room however, the recreation room has to bepractically hermetically sealed off. That is very complicated andexpensive. In the case of a sport training room the necessary airexchange is possible only at considerable cost.

Therefore for example EP 0 959 862 and EP 0 789 546 have proposed notreducing the overall pressure in the recreation room but reducing theoxygen partial pressure in the recreation room by increasing thenitrogen partial pressure. It has been found that the proposed methodsoverall involve a high level of operative complication and expenditureand are costly to implement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Taking that state of the art as its basic starting point, the object ofthe present invention is to provide a method and a recreation room and aroom air installation of the kind set forth in the opening part of thisspecification, which permit as inexpensive operation as possible of arecreation room whose room air has a reduced proportion of oxygen.

According to the invention, that object is attained by a method of thekind set forth in the opening part of this specification wherein atleast a slight overpressure in relation to an outside atmospheresurrounding the recreation room is set in the recreation room. Theproportion of carbon dioxide in the room air is set to a concentrationinitially below 0.04% by volume and then to a CO₂ concentration belowestablished limit values, but at most between 1 and 0.65% by volume. Theoperation of adjusting the desired proportion of oxygen in the room airand the desired proportion of carbon dioxide is effected by regularlysupplementing the room air, preferably in the room air circulatory mode.

The invention is based on the realisation that an only slightoverpressure of for example between 10 and 100 hPa requires an only verymoderately sealed-off room and has the result that any remaining leaksin respect of the recreation room cause continuous exchange of the roomair in the recreation room, by virtue of the fact that room air escapesthrough the leaks and is replaced by processed ambient air from theoutside atmosphere, which is fed to the room air.

Preferably the room air is operated in a circulatory mode and issupplemented in the circulatory mode by the nitrogen-bearing, carbondioxide-poor gas mixture. Air exchange in respect of the room air in therecreation room, which is caused by that circulatory mode, is preferablyso adjusted that a homogeneous atmosphere prevails in the recreationroom.

The term nitrogen-bearing, carbon dioxide-poor gas mixture is used todenote a gas mixture which has a greater proportion of nitrogen incomparison with outside or ambient air.

The proportion of carbon dioxide in the room air is preferably adjustedby a proportion of the room air being replaced by carbon dioxide-poorair from the outside atmosphere, in the room air circulatory mode. Inthat case, the air of the outside atmosphere has a normal proportion ofoxygen. The proportion of room air which is exchanged in the circulatorymode is so adjusted that the room air remains at a carbon dioxideconcentration of initially less than 0.04% by volume and then a CO₂concentration below established limit values, but is at most between 1and 0.65% by volume.

Alternatively it is possible for the proportion of carbon dioxide in theair to be reduced chemically, in particular by means of special lime.

Preferably the room air which is passed in the circulatory mode istreated by regulated ionisation in such a way that the room air, with alow carbon dioxide content and a reduced oxygen content in relation tothe outside atmosphere maintains a high air quality over a plurality ofcirculation cycles. In particular the proportion of hydrocarbons in theroom air is reduced by the regulated ionisation. In that sense, thecontent of hydrocarbon and germs in the room air is considered as anessential criterion in respect of the air quality of the room air.Mixing of the gas mixture for supplementing the room air is preferablyeffected at an overpressure or a reduced pressure.

The mixing operation is preferably effected in a mixing chamber to whichthe components of the gas mixture which are to be mixed are fed independence on the desired composition of the gas mixture of the mixingchamber, under an overpressure or a reduced pressure. If mixing of thegas mixture is effected at an overpressure, the components are fed tothe mixing chamber at different overpressures. If a reduced pressureprevails in the mixing chamber, the components of the gas mixture arefed to the mixing chamber at differing reduced pressures. Preferably thecomponents of the gas mixture are on the one hand air from the outsideatmosphere and on the other hand nitrogen.

A preferred method is one in which the nitrogen-bearing gas mixture isproduced by air separation by means of a separation installation towhich the room air is fed in the circulatory mode and in which inaddition ambient air or nitrogen or a nitrogen-bearing gas mixture isadded to the circulatory air in an amount which corresponds to anequivalent of the discharge air which occurs in the air separationoperation, with an increased oxygen content. Such a method makes itpossible to produce a room air involving a reduced oxygen partialpressure, using a separation installation.

When determining the equivalent of the discharge air with an increasedoxygen content, which occurs in the air separation operation, it is tobe borne in mind that the discharge air volume flow which is dischargedfrom the separation installation, with an increased oxygen content, isnot the sole discharge air volume flow. Rather, a multiple of thedischarge air volume flow which is discharged from the separationinstallation, must be fed to the circulatory air in respect of freshambient air (fresh air volume flow) or also nitrogen-enriched gasmixture, so that this affords at least one second discharge air volumeflow which is to be branched from the circulatory air volume flow andwhich, together with the discharge air volume flow discharged from theseparation installation and the leakage volume flow, provides for acompensated volume balance.

A preferred method is also one in which the nitrogen-bearing gas mixtureis produced by air separation from ambient air. The above-mentionedseparation installation can be used for that purpose.

In connection with the last-mentioned method, an oxygen-enriched gasmixture which occurs upon air separation, with an oxygen proportion ofmore than 21% by volume, is added to a second room. Accordingly, theatmosphere prevailing in that second room is an atmosphere with anincreased proportion of oxygen, which is desired for certain purposes,for example therapeutic treatment.

The room air with an increased oxygen content in the second room ispreferably treated like the room air in the room with the reduced oxygencontent.

Preferably at least one of the properties of the circulatory air such asair humidity, air temperature or the like is measured and adjusted in aregulation procedure.

In accordance with the invention the above-indicated object is alsoattained by a recreation room of the kind set forth in the opening partof this specification, in particular a sport training room, which is soadapted that at least for a short period of time it can hold at least aslight overpressure in relation to an outside atmosphere surrounding therecreation room. The recreation room is communicated by way of an airinlet opening and an air outlet opening with a room air installationwhich is adapted to adjust the room air in the recreation room in such away that its oxygen partial pressure is lower than the oxygen partialpressure of the outside atmosphere.

In accordance with this invention the term recreation room which atleast for a short period of time can hold at least a slight overpressurein relation to an outside atmosphere surrounding the recreation room isused to denote a recreation room which during operation is sufficientlysealed to ensure a leakage rate which is less than 10% and preferablybelow 5%. Here the term leakage rate is used to denote the ratio of aleakage volume flow to a total volume flow which is fed to therecreation room in operation. Besides the above-mentioned leakage volumeflow the total volume flow issuing from the recreation room alsoincludes a circulatory air volume flow. This is that proportion of roomair which is deliberately and targetedly discharged from the recreationroom in order to be re-processed in the circulatory air procedure.

Preferably provided in the recreation room are sensors for detecting theoxygen concentration or the oxygen partial pressure, the carbon dioxideconcentration or the carbon dioxide partial pressure and the airhumidity, air quality, ozone and air temperature.

A room air installation for attaining the above-mentioned objectincludes a circulatory air passage and at least one pump or blower formoving the circulatory air in the circulatory air passage. Thecirculatory air passage is to be communicated by way of inlet and outletopenings with a recreation room of the above-indicated kind. Connectedinto the circulatory air passage is a mixing chamber which has on theone hand an air inlet and an air outlet for the circulatory air and onthe other hand an inlet for fresh air from the outside atmosphere and anitrogen inlet for the feed of nitrogen into the mixing chamber.

The essential properties and advantages of the method according to theinvention and the room air installation according to the invention aresummarised hereinafter:

-   -   the oxygen concentration, corresponding to a simulated altitude,        in training and recreation rooms is controlled and regulated in        accordance with the aim to be achieved to predetermined values        with a close tolerance in close relationship with real time;    -   intended changes in concentration can be effected effectively        and quickly in respect of time;    -   the carbon dioxide concentration in training and recreation        rooms is to be held stable below established limit values but at        least below 0.65% by volume;    -   the amount by volume of gas mixture supplied can be flexibly        adapted to the requirements involved;    -   air quality is permanently maintained;    -   the hypoxic atmosphere in the room is produced by way of the        feed of two components—nitrogen (nitrogen content greater than        78% by volume, maximum 100% by volume) and fresh air (oxygen        content 20.9% by volume)—which are produced separately or are        taken from the outside air or also in part the room air itself        and fed in a volume flow-controlled mode;    -   the nitrogen is produced selectively by an industrially employed        air separation installation (by means of different methods) on        site in a variable amount (air separation installation with        connected buffer) or is provided by way of tanks; the length of        the nitrogen line between the air separation installation and        the mixing chamber can be varied in such a way that no        additional sound loadings occur in the region of the hypoxia        room;    -   the required composition of the gas mixture is produced prior to        its being introduced into the room in a mixing chamber disposed        upstream thereof (see FIG. 1);    -   the separation production of the individual components nitrogen        and fresh air and the regulated feed thereof by way of        electronically controlled valves, by virtue of shutting down one        component with a simultaneous increase in the volume flow of the        other component, permits either a rapid rise in the equivalent        altitude (reduction in the oxygen concentration in the room by        solely supplying nitrogen) or a rapid reduction in the        equivalent altitude (increasing the oxygen concentration by        solely adding fresh air); in that way the period of time for        producing the desired equivalent altitude can be shortened to a        fraction in comparison with the feed of a constant gas mixture        at the desired final concentration and the costs of producing        the equivalent altitude also considerably fall. The equivalent        altitude is the altitude above sea level at which respiration        air is approximately at the same oxygen partial pressure as in        the recreation room;    -   the variable controllability of the partial volume flows and        thereby the overall volume flow in respect of supplied hypoxia        gas mixture out of the mixing chamber makes it possible to        immediately increase the gas mixture volume flow and thus        prevent a rise in the level of carbon dioxide concentration,        upon an increase in the number of people in the room or upon an        increase in intensity of physical strain;    -   a microelectronic control and regulating system (for example        DDC) makes it possible for the partial volume flows to be so        regulated that disturbance influences are directly compensated        and a constant oxygen concentration is guaranteed. The oxygen        consumption of persons actively and passively present in the        room is compensated by the corresponding addition of fresh air.        Fresh air in-rushes due to people entering and leaving the room        are compensatingly controlled by a reduction in the fresh air        volume flow;    -   with an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in the room        above the established limit value the overall volume flow is        automatically increased by way of an increase in both partial        component volume flows. The increased volume flow causes an        increased air change in the room and thereby also a reduction in        the carbon dioxide concentration; the volume flow is increased        until the carbon dioxide concentration is again below the        predetermined limit values; and    -   the intended air change (magnitude of the gas mixture volume        flow) alone still does not ensure the desired air quality. That        is achieved by a circulatory air system which is additionally        installed in the hypoxia room and regulated ionisation in the        circulatory air circuit assembly. In that system which passes        the air in the hypoxia room by way of special filters and        regulated ioniser and passes it back into the room, perspiration        and other harmful substances (germs) are eliminated as a        priority. Air change due to the inflowing gas mixture and the        outflowing gas mixture serves predominantly to reducer the        carbon dioxide concentration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 shows a recreation room with a room air installation connectedthereto for producing and regulating a hyperbaric hypoxic atmosphere inthe recreation room,

FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view in respect of the feed and discharge ofthe gas mixture into and out of the recreation room,

FIG. 3 shows a recreation room with an alternative room air installationconnected thereto and which co-operates with an air separation unit forproducing a nitrogen-bearing gas mixture,

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of two recreation rooms which arecommunicated with a room air installation and a common separation unitin such a way that one recreation room contains oxygen-reduced room airand the other recreation room contains oxygen-enriched room air,

FIG. 5 shows three roughly diagrammatic views of a recreation room withreduced oxygen content and water tank, and

FIG. 6 shows a hypoxic recreation room with an ice surface or snow pistetrack, more specifically FIG. 6 a being a plan view on to an ellipticalice track and FIG. 6 b being a cross-section through a tunnel for theelliptical ice track.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The hypoxia installation shown in FIG. 1 includes the followingcomponent parts: a recreation room—hereinafter referred to as the room1—for human beings and/or animals to stay and perform physicalactivities therein, a buffer container 2, a mixing chamber 3, an airmoisture processing unit 32, a temperature processing unit 33, aregulated ioniser 4, a particle filter 5, a first pump 61, a second pump62, electronically or otherwise regulatable through-flow valves (MFC orothers) 71 to 79, an inlet for spent room air 81, an inlet 82 fornitrogen, a first inlet 83 for fresh air, a second inlet 84 for freshair, an outlet 88 for spent room air, a mixing chamber outlet 89, acommunicating line 90, a distributor 91 for freshly mixed room air, areceiver and delivery device 92 for spent room air, a secondcommunicating line 93, a scrubber 12 for chemical elimination of carbondioxide, a central unit 100 for electronic control and regulation (DDCor others) and sensors 110 for oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor,temperature, air pressure, air quality and ozone.

The terms room air and atmosphere are used hereinafter as synonyms andconcern the air in the room 1 and the associated room air installation.A distinction is to be made in respect of the outside atmosphere whichsurrounds the room 1 and which is formed by fresh air.

Operation of the hypoxia installation shown in FIG. 1 is as follows:

The installation serves either for producing an oxygen-reduced (<20.9%by volume) and carbon dioxide-poor atmosphere (<0.04% by volume) in aclosed or almost closed room 1 and/or regulation of an oxygen-reduced(<20.9% by volume) and carbon dioxide-poor atmosphere (<establishedlimit value) in a closed or almost closed room when human beings and/oranimals are in the room, with or without involving physical activity.

The production, described hereinafter, of an oxygen-reduced atmosphereis referred to as a passive mode of operation.

The production of an oxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbondioxide-poor atmosphere (<0.04% by volume) in the closed or almostclosed room 1 is effected in a passive mode of operation as follows: byopening the valves 77, 79 and 72 nitrogen (% by volume N₂>78; O₂<20.9;CO₂<0.04; H₂O towards 0) is passed into the closed or almost closed room1 by way of the inlet 82 by means of the pump 61 or by the inherentpressure of the nitrogen if it is taken from a pressure vessel, by wayof the communication 90 and special venting passages 91 which ensureuniform mixing of the nitrogen with the respective atmosphere in theroom. By means of the pump 62 or by means of an increased pressure inthe room 1, by way of regulated opening of the valve 71 when the valve75 is closed, by way of special venting passages 92 which ensure thatthe freshly mixed room atmosphere is uniformly sucked away, only so muchroom atmosphere is discharged into the ambient atmosphere by way of theoutlet 88 that an overpressure is maintained in the room. That processis maintained until the desired oxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) andcarbon dioxide-poor atmosphere (<0.65% by volume) prevails in the room1.

Regulation, supplemental to or alternatively to production, of anoxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbon dioxide-poor atmosphere(<established limit value, for example 1% by volume or 0.65% by volume)in a closed or almost closed room 1, when human beings or animals are inthe room and/or with physical activity, is effected in an active mode ofoperation either in a partly closed circulatory air system or in aclosed circulatory air system.

The active mode of operation (regulation of the atmosphere) in a partlyclosed circulatory air system will first be described.

Regulation of an oxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbondioxide-poor atmosphere (<established limit value, for example 1% byvolume or 0.65% by volume) in a closed or almost closed room 1 with thepresence therein and/or with physical activity on the part of humanbeings or animals is effected in the active mode in a partly closedcirculatory air system as follows: the circulatory air circuitarrangement is completely set in operation. The valve 75 is opened sothat the atmosphere sucked out of the room 1 passes into the mixingchamber 3 by way of the inlet 81, through a particle filter 5 and aregulated ioniser 4 which removes all hydrocarbon-based pollutants fromthe atmosphere. A scrubber 12 which eliminates carbon dioxide from theatmosphere by chemical binding procedures can be selectively interposedinto the air flow. Nitrogen, by way of the inlet 82, and ambient air,hereinafter referred to as fresh air, which passes a particle filter 5,by way of the inlet 83, are passed into the mixing chamber in a ratio byvolume relative to each other which corresponds to that of the desiredreduced oxygen concentration in the room 1. A further amount of freshair is passed into the mixing chamber by way of the inlet 84, by way ofa particle filter 5. That amount of fresh air is equal to the oxygenconsumption of the human beings or animals in the room 1. It is in agiven relationship to the intensity of movement of the human beings oranimals in the room 1 and is established by way of the dynamics ofoxygen consumption in the room 1 and automatically regulated. In thatcase the amount of oxygen contained in the amount of fresh air must begreater than the consumed amount of oxygen. The volume of nitrogen(inlet 82) and fresh air (inlets 83 and 84) corresponds in that respectto the sum of the amount by volume of consumed atmosphere which waspreviously discharged into the ambient atmosphere by way of the outlet85 and the volume of the amount of consumed atmosphere which escapesfrom the circuit arrangement into the ambient atmosphere due to existingleaks continuously or due to disturbances such as people or animalspassing into and out of the room through an air lock arrangement. Theamount by volume which is discharged to the ambient atmosphere or whichis freshly produced by mixing nitrogen and fresh air is established byway of the dynamics of the carbon dioxide concentration and theestablished levels of limit concentration of carbon dioxide in the room1 and automatically regulated in such a way that an equilibriumcondition (steady state) occurs or established limit values are notexceeded. The oxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbon dioxide-pooratmosphere (<established limit value, for example 1% by volume or 0.65%by volume) produced in the mixing chamber, comprising processed spentatmosphere and fresh proportions of nitrogen and fresh air, is processedby air conditioning procedures prior to leaving the mixing chamber 3 insuch a way that the desired temperature and air humidity occur in stablemanner in the room 1. In addition further air conditioning of theatmosphere can take place in the room 1. From the mixing chamber, theprocessed atmosphere is passed into the closed or almost closed roomthrough the outlet 89 and the valve 72 by means of the pump 62 or due tothe inherent pressure of the processed atmosphere either by way of abuffer vessel 2 which can store the processed atmosphere or directly byway of the communicating line 90 and special ventilation passages 91which ensure uniform mixing of the nitrogen with the respectiveatmosphere in the room. Regulated opening of the valves 74 and 75provides that so much room atmosphere is discharged by way of the outlet88 into the ambient atmosphere as is required to maintain thepredetermined limit values in respect of the carbon dioxideconcentration in the room 1 and maintaining an overpressure in the room,by means of the pump 62 or the present increased pressure in the room byway of special ventilation passages 92 which ensure uniform continuationof the spent room atmosphere. The spent room atmosphere which is reducedby the portion by volume which was discharged to the ambient atmospherethrough the outlet 88 is passed into the mixing chamber by way of theparticle filter 5 and the regulated ioniser 4 for renewed processingthereof. Optionally the remaining spent room atmosphere can be passed byway of a scrubber 12 for additionally eliminating carbon dioxide. Themixing operation in the mixing chamber 3 can take place under a slightoverpressure, a great overpressure, or a reduced pressure. When mixingoxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbon dioxide-poor atmosphere(established limit value, for example 1% by volume or 0.65% by volume)at a slight overpressure the components spent atmosphere, nitrogen andfresh air are passed into the mixing chamber at a pressure which isabove the pressure of the atmosphere in the room 1 and the pressure ofthe freshly produced atmosphere is reduced by way of the valve 79 andthe feed lines 90 and 91 so that the pressure prevailing in the room 1remains constant. Upon mixing at a reduced pressure oxygen-reduced(<20.9% by volume) and carbon dioxide-poor atmosphere (<establishedlimit value, for example 1% by volume or 0.65% by volume) isdiscontinuously produced and continuously passed by way of the bufferinto the room 1. The pump 61 withdraws finished atmosphere from themixing chamber by way of the valve 79 while the valves 75, 76, 77 and 78are closed. By subsequent regulated opening of those valves, thecomponents spent atmosphere, nitrogen and fresh air are passed into themixing chamber in a regulated fashion, being differentiated in respectof time and quantity, and are processed to afford a new atmosphere. Thatprocedure is repeated with closure of the valves 75, 76, 77 and 78. Thepump 61 conveys the finished atmosphere into the buffer container by wayof which regulated continuous discharge of that finished atmosphere iseffected by way of the special ventilation passages 91. Upon mixing at ahigh overpressure oxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbondioxide-poor atmosphere (<established limit value, for example 1% byvolume or 0.65% by volume) is discontinuously produced and passed intothe room 1 continuously by way of the buffer. The components spentatmosphere, nitrogen and fresh air are passed into the mixing chamber ina differentiated manner in respect of time and quantity, by way of theinlets 81, 82, 83 and 84, at a high overpressure, while the valve 79 isclosed. The valve 79 is opened after closure of the valves 75, 76, 77and 78. That procedure is repeated with the closure of the valve 79. Thepump 61 conveys the finished atmosphere into the buffer container, byway of which regulated continuous discharge of that atmosphere iseffected by way of the special ventilation passages 91. The nature ofthe mixing operation—at a low overpressure, a high overpressure or areduced pressure—influences the quality of the atmosphere produced andis determined in dependence on the desired composition of the atmospherein the room 1, the required volume flow and the disturbing factorsinvolved.

The active mode of operation for a closed circulatory air system willnow be described.

Regulation of an oxygen-reduced (<20.9% by volume) and carbondioxide-poor atmosphere (<established limit value, for example 1% byvolume or 0.65% by volume) in a closed or almost closed room 1 in thepresence of and/or with physical activity on the part of human beings oranimals is effected in the active mode in a closed circulatory airsystem as follows: the circulatory air circuit arrangement is completelyset in operation by means of the pumps 61 and 62. The valve 74 is closedand the valve 75 is opened so that the atmosphere which is sucked out ofthe room is passed out of the room 1 through a particle filter 5 and aregulated ioniser 4 which removes all hydrocarbon-based pollutants fromthe atmosphere, by way of the inlet 81 into the mixing chamber 3, thecommunicating line 90 and the special ventilation passages 91, back intothe room 1. Optionally a scrubber 12 which eliminates carbon dioxidefrom the atmosphere by chemical binding effects can be interposed intothe air flow. The closed system can be operated as long as limit valuesin respect of carbon dioxide concentration are not exceeded and theoxygen concentration does not go outside its normal ranges. Thoseconditions are afforded in the case of very large room volumes. Afterthe limit values are reached either the atmosphere can be completelyexchanged or the method is switched over to operation of a partly closedcirculatory air system.

For all modes of operation, all hardware components are controlled byway of a central microelectronic control unit in the form of aDDC-installation and, by means of sensors for oxygen concentration,carbon dioxide concentration, water vapor concentration and pollutantconcentration and for the volume flows spent atmosphere, nitrogen, freshair and produced atmosphere as well as the temperature in the room 1 areregulated to the desired reference values.

FIG. 2 shows aeration and ventilation of the room 1. The meanings of thereference numerals are as follows:

1—a gas mixture feed line with a variable volume flow and inclinedlyforwardly directed outlet flow openings

2—suction removal near the floor of the circulatory air system

3—a pollutant elimination installation in the circulatory air system

4—discharge flow openings for the cleaned and carbon dioxide-enrichedgas mixture

5—a suction removal line of controllably variable cross-section

6—the training or recreation room under hypoxia.

Positive control implementation is provided for the feed and dischargeof the gas mixture. The amount of gas mixture which varies according tothe requirements is blown under a slight increased pressure from theceiling inclinedly downwardly (FIG. 2). After it has passed the personswho are training, it is sucked in by a circulatory air system which isnear the floor and which cleanses the resulting mixed atmosphere ofpollutants and is blown by the front and side walls for further use intothe room in such a way that a rearwardly directed movement of air isproduced. At the rear side of the room the same amount of air isactively sucked away at a slightly reduced pressure which corresponds tothe overpressure when the air is blown in. The rolling movement of airthrough the room guarantees that the carbon dioxide-loaded gas mixtureis transported away better than upon diffuse discharge throughdifferently predetermined openings. Suction removal openings whichflexibly adapt to the inflowing amount of gas mixture (cross-section)for the spent gas mixture permit continuing operation with different andchanging numbers of people.

The FIG. 3 arrangement of the recreation room 300 and the room airinstallation 310 differs in particular in respect of the room airinstallation 310 from the room air installation shown in FIG. 1. Commoncomponent parts are an air feed 312 and an air suction removal 314 inthe recreation room 300. The room air which is discharged from therecreation room 300 is fed again by way of a pump 316, an ioniser 318and filter 320, a scrubber 322, a mixing chamber 330 and a second pump332 in a circulatory mode of operation to the air feed 312 in therecreation room 300. In that respect and also in respect of the valvesand so forth which are not shown in greater detail here, the circulatoryair installation shown in FIG. 3 does not differ from that of FIG. 1.The installations are also the same in regard to the fact that fresh airand nitrogen-bearing gas mixture or nitrogen is fed to the mixingpassage 330. The same applies for a buffer container 334 for pressureequalisation which is possibly required. All valves are connected to acontrol and regulating system DDC which is shown in FIG. 1 and which isalso connected to sensors in the recreation room 300.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 3 of the recreation room 300 and thecirculatory air installation 310 differs from that shown in FIG. 1however essentially in that there is provided an air separation unit 340for producing the nitrogen or the nitrogen-bearing gas mixture which isfed to the mixing chamber 330. That air separation unit 340 is connectedon the input side to the recreation room 300 by way of a line 342 insuch a way that the separation unit 340 receives room air from therecreation room 300, separates that air into a nitrogen-enrichedproportion and an oxygen and carbon dioxide-enriched proportion andfeeds the nitrogen-enriched proportion of the gas to the mixing chamber330. The nitrogen-enriched component produced by the air separation unit340 can in that case also be approximately pure nitrogen which wasobtained by air separation of the room air from the recreation room 300.The nitrogen-enriched gas component which is fed by the separation unit340 to the mixing chamber 330 is mixed with fresh air in the mixingchamber 330 in the same manner as is the case in the room airinstallation shown in FIG. 1.

The fact that the air fed to the air separation unit 340 is the room airfrom the recreation room 300 has the advantage that this room airalready has an increased proportion of nitrogen and that in addition,upon air separation in the air separation unit 340, at least a part ofthe carbon dioxide to be removed from the room air in the recreationroom 300, is separated off and passed outwardly.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 4 with two recreation rooms, namely afirst recreation room 400 with oxygen-reduced room air and a secondrecreation room 410 with oxygen-enriched room air can correspond inrespect of many details in relation to the circulatory air installation,associated with a respective recreation room 400 or 410, of the assemblyshown in FIG. 3. An essential component part of a circulatory aircircuit arrangement 402 for the recreation room 400 and a secondcirculatory air circuit arrangement 412 for the recreation room 410 is arespective mixing chamber 404 and 414 respectively. Both mixing chambers404 and 414 are fed from an air separation unit 420. That air separationunit 420 is not connected at the input side to one of the recreationrooms but is supplied with fresh air (inlet 422). The nitrogen-enrichedgas mixture which occurs in the air separation procedure is fed by wayof a line 424 to the mixing chamber 404 for the first recreation room400 with oxygen-reduced room air. The oxygen-enriched gas mixture whichis also produced in the air separation procedure is fed by way of a line426 to the second mixing chamber 414 for the circulatory air circuitarrangement 412 of the second recreation room 410 with oxygen-enrichedroom air.

In this case, the configuration of the room air installation for thefirst recreation room 400 with oxygen-reduced room air can preciselycorrespond to the room air installation shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

With regard to the room air installation for the second recreation room410 with oxygen-enriched room air, there is a difference in relation tothe mixing chamber 414, namely that the mixing chamber, instead of asingle inlet for oxygen-enriched gas mixture which would correspond tothe inlet for oxygen-enriched gas mixture in FIGS. 1 and 3, also has afurther inlet 428 for oxygen or oxygen-enriched gas mixture.

FIG. 5 shows a particular variant of a recreation room 500 withoxygen-reduced or oxygen-enriched atmosphere. The particularity of therecreation room 500 is that it has a partition or separating wall 504which extends into a water tank 502 and which ends below a water level506 and which allows the water tank also to extend outside therecreation room 500, for example in an adjoining room or also in thefree air. Satisfactory sealing of the recreation room 500 with respectto the ambient atmosphere is afforded by the water tank 502 and thepartition 504 which projects thereinto. That allows swimmers to divethrough the water tank into the recreation room and out of same.

As already shown in relation to the recreation rooms in FIGS. 1 and 3,in each case there are provided a feed line 508 and a discharge line 510for the feed of oxygen-enriched or oxygen-reduced room air and for thedischarge of the room air.

An entry air lock arrangement 512 allows dry access to the recreationroom 500 without major air exchange between the room air in therecreation room 500 and the ambient air.

Finally FIG. 6 shows a recreation room 600 with an ice surface or a snowpiste track 602. Just by way of example, the ice or snow piste track 602is shown in the form of an elliptical track, over which the recreationroom 600 with oxygen-reduced or oxygen-enriched room air is delimited bysuitable room walls 604 and a ceiling 606. A particular feature of therecreation room 600 is that the feed of oxygen-reduced oroxygen-enriched gas mixture occurs in the proximity of the floor nearthe ice or snow piste track 602 through feed lines 610 extending alongthe ice or snow piste track 602. The gas mixture which is suppliedthrough the feed lines 610 can be cooled in that case and can thusadvantageously assist with maintaining the ice or snow piste track.

The gas mixture is preferably carried away by way of a discharge line610 which extends in the region of the ceiling 606 of the recreationroom 600 along the ice or snow piste track 602.

1. A method of adjusting a room air in a first room comprising the stepsof: adding to the room a nitrogen or a nitrogen-bearing, carbondioxide-poor gas mixture until the proportion of oxygen in the room airis less than 20.9% by volume and the proportion of carbon dioxide of theroom air is less than 1% by volume, producing the nitrogen-bearing gasmixture by separation of at least some of the room air withdrawn fromthe room in a separation installation in a circulatory mode and whereinambient air or nitrogen or a nitrogen-bearing gas mixture is mixed withthe room air in the separation; and during the step of adding,maintaining at least a slight overpressure in the room in relation to anoutside atmosphere surrounding the room.
 2. The method of claim 1further comprising the step of removing air from the room forreconditioning such that the room air is passed in a circulatory airmode.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein a room air exchange caused bythe circulatory air mode in the recreation room is so adjusted that ahomogeneous atmosphere prevails in the recreation room.
 4. The method ofclaim 2, wherein a proportion of carbon dioxide of the room air isreplaced in the circulatory air mode by replacement of a proportion ofthe room air by carbon dioxide-poor air of the outside atmosphere with anormal proportion of oxygen, wherein the proportion of the room airexchanged in the circulatory air mode is so adjusted that the room airmaintains a concentration of carbon dioxide below fixed limit values ofup to 0.65% by volume.
 5. The method of claim 2, further comprising thestep of chemically reducing the proportion of carbon dioxide in thecirculatory air.
 6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the stepof treating the room air which is passed in the circulatory air mode asrequired by regulated ionisation in such a way that the room air with alow carbon dioxide content and a reduced proportion of oxygen inrelation to the outside atmosphere maintains an air quality which doesnot differ substantially from the quality of the outside atmosphere overa plurality of circulatory an cycles.
 7. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising the step of supplementing the room air by mixing the room airwith the gas mixture at an overpressure or a reduced pressure.
 8. Themethod of claim 7 wherein the step of supplementing the room air bymixing the room air with the gas mixture is performed in a mixingchamber to which the components of the gas mixture to be mixed are fedat an increased pressure or a reduced pressure in dependence on thedesired gas mixture of the mixing chamber.
 9. The method of claim 7,wherein the gas mixture is mixed from air of the outside atmosphere andnitrogen.
 10. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step ofmeasuring and adjusting at least one of the properties of thecirculatory air such as air humidity, air temperature or the like in aregulated fashion.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein thenitrogen-bearing gas mixture is produced by air separation of ambientair.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein an oxygen-enriched gas mixturehaving a proportion of oxygen of more than 21% by volume is produced inthe air separation operation and is added to a second room so that theroom air in the second room has an oxygen content which is increased inrelation to the ambient air.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein theroom air with the increased oxygen content in the second room is treatedas set forth in one of claims 1 to 10.